Latest news with #TheChicagoSun-Times
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mapped: Canada's wildfires are impacting air quality in these US communities
Smoke from wildfires still raging in Canada is degrading air quality across the northern U.S., turning skies a murky orange hue and forcing sensitive groups indoors. In New York, the smoke could be seen in the upper atmosphere from satellites, and an air quality alert was in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday evening. Poor air quality was also in store for Chicagoans, who were told to reduce time spent outdoors. Government maps showed the worst levels of particle pollution around the Windy City and Detroit, with the latter under an advisory through noon on Friday. In Chicago, one area saw an Air Quality Index at a level of 157, which is deemed 'unhealthy.' The particle pollution can affect the eyes, throat, lungs, and heart. Sometimes, it can even lead to premature death. 'It's probably a good idea to limit time outside,' Kevin Doom, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 'Doing a lot of heavy breathing is probably not ideal on a day like today.' Forecasters said there's a chance an alert there would be extended into Friday, as temperatures across much of the eastern U.S. continue to spike ahead of a rainy weekend. Some of the haze also has to do with ozone pollution, which is linked to that heat. 'On hot and sunny days, especially in urban areas, heat and sunlight react chemically with pollutants in the air to form ground-level ozone, which can be very irritating to people with respiratory problems,' WNBC's Lauren Maroney warned. In the U.S., wildfires have burned in Minnesota, Florida, and the West. There have been more than 1.1 million acres torched to date across the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. There are more than 200 active wildfires raging in Canada, and more than 6.4 million acres have burned since the start of the year. Two new blazes were reported on Thursday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The deadly fires have resulted in the deaths of two people and forced tens of thousands of people to flee. Officials in Mantiboa and Saskatchewan have declared a state of emergency. Manitoba skies have turned a ruby red color. "I've never seen anything like it," Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said, according to CBC News. Climate change is helping to stoke the flames of wildfires around the world each year, bringing even hotter and drier conditions. As smoke continues to impact millions in the northern U.S., it is heading South. AccuWeather said it might collide with a 2,000-mile-wide plume of Saharan dust later this week. 'This appears to be the largest Saharan dust plume to reach America so far this year,' Lead Hurricane Expert Alex Dasilva said in a statement.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mapped: Canada's wildfires are impacting air quality in these US communities
Smoke from wildfires still raging in Canada is degrading air quality across the northern U.S., turning skies a murky orange hue and forcing sensitive groups indoors. In New York, the smoke could be seen in the upper atmosphere from satellites, and an air quality alert was in effect until 11 p.m. Thursday evening. Poor air quality was also in store for Chicagoans, who were told to reduce time spent outdoors. Government maps showed the worst levels of particle pollution around the Windy City and Detroit, with the latter under an advisory through noon on Friday. In Chicago, one area saw an Air Quality Index at a level of 157, which is deemed 'unhealthy.' The particle pollution can affect the eyes, throat, lungs, and heart. Sometimes, it can even lead to premature death. 'It's probably a good idea to limit time outside,' Kevin Doom, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. 'Doing a lot of heavy breathing is probably not ideal on a day like today.' Forecasters said there's a chance an alert there would be extended into Friday, as temperatures across much of the eastern U.S. continue to spike ahead of a rainy weekend. Some of the haze also has to do with ozone pollution, which is linked to that heat. 'On hot and sunny days, especially in urban areas, heat and sunlight react chemically with pollutants in the air to form ground-level ozone, which can be very irritating to people with respiratory problems,' WNBC's Lauren Maroney warned. In the U.S., wildfires have burned in Minnesota, Florida, and the West. There have been more than 1.1 million acres torched to date across the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. There are more than 200 active wildfires raging in Canada, and more than 6.4 million acres have burned since the start of the year. Two new blazes were reported on Thursday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The deadly fires have resulted in the deaths of two people and forced tens of thousands of people to flee. Officials in Mantiboa and Saskatchewan have declared a state of emergency. Manitoba skies have turned a ruby red color. "I've never seen anything like it," Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said, according to CBC News. Climate change is helping to stoke the flames of wildfires around the world each year, bringing even hotter and drier conditions. As smoke continues to impact millions in the northern U.S., it is heading South. AccuWeather said it might collide with a 2,000-mile-wide plume of Saharan dust later this week. 'This appears to be the largest Saharan dust plume to reach America so far this year,' Lead Hurricane Expert Alex Dasilva said in a statement.
Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Illinois man sentenced to 53 years for US hate crime that killed Palestinian child
Joseph Czuba stabbed six-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi 26 times, and also stabbed the boy's mother, who was his tenant. PHOTOS: REUTERS, X Illinois man sentenced to 53 years for US hate crime that killed Palestinian child WASHINGTON - A man from Illinois was sentenced on May 2 to 53 years in prison after a jury convicted him of the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy and the severe wounding of his mother in an October 2023 hate crime stabbing, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. Joseph Czuba, 73, stabbed and killed Wadee Alfayoumi and knifed Hanan Shaheen days after US ally Israel began its war on Gaza following Palestinian Hamas militants' Oct 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Prosecutors said the stabbing - one of the earliest and worst hate crime incidents in the US since the start of the war - was sparked by anti-Muslim hatred. US rights advocates have noted rising Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate and anti-Semitism. Czuba, who was the landlord for Ms Shaheen and her son, stabbed the boy 26 times with a military-style knife with an 18cm serrated blade, authorities said. Shaheen suffered multiple stab wounds in the attack that occurred in Plainfield Township, about 64km south-west of Chicago. Czuba was found guilty in late February. Ms Shaheen testified during the trial that Czuba told her "you, as a Muslim, must die." Other recent incidents raising alarm in the US about anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian prejudice include the attempted drowning of a three-year-old Palestinian American girl and the stabbing of a Palestinian American man, both in Texas. Incidents raising alarm over anti-Semitism and anti-Israel attitudes include an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York Jewish centre and an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence. Hate incidents have also been reported during protests and counter-protests related to the war. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
US Man Gets 53 Year Jail For Hate Crime That Killed Palestinian Child: Report
Washington: A man from Illinois was sentenced on Friday to 53 years in prison after a jury convicted him of the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy and the severe wounding of his mother in an October 2023 hate crime stabbing, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. Joseph Czuba, 73, stabbed and killed Wadee Alfayoumi and knifed Hanan Shaheen days after U.S. ally Israel began its war on Gaza following Palestinian Hamas militants' October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Prosecutors said the stabbing - one of the earliest and worst hate crime incidents in the U.S. since the start of the war - was sparked by anti-Muslim hatred. U.S. rights advocates have noted rising Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate and antisemitism. Czuba, who was the landlord for Shaheen and her son, stabbed the boy 26 times with a military-style knife with a 7-inch (18-cm) serrated blade, authorities said. Shaheen suffered multiple stab wounds in the attack that occurred in Plainfield Township, about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Chicago. Czuba was found guilty in late February. Shaheen testified during the trial that Czuba told her "you, as a Muslim, must die." Other recent incidents raising alarm in the U.S. about anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian prejudice include the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl and the stabbing of a Palestinian American man, both in Texas. Incidents raising alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes include an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York Jewish center and an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence. Hate incidents have also been reported during protests and counter-protests related to the war.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Illinois man sentenced to 53 years for hate crime that killed Palestinian child
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man from Illinois was sentenced on Friday to 53 years in prison after a jury convicted him of the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy and the severe wounding of his mother in an October 2023 hate crime stabbing, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. Joseph Czuba, 73, stabbed and killed Wadee Alfayoumi and knifed Hanan Shaheen days after U.S. ally Israel began its war on Gaza following Palestinian Hamas militants' October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. Prosecutors said the stabbing - one of the earliest and worst hate crime incidents in the U.S. since the start of the war - was sparked by anti-Muslim hatred. U.S. rights advocates have noted rising Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate and antisemitism. Czuba, who was the landlord for Shaheen and her son, stabbed the boy 26 times with a military-style knife with a 7-inch (18-cm) serrated blade, authorities said. Shaheen suffered multiple stab wounds in the attack that occurred in Plainfield Township, about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Chicago. Czuba was found guilty in late February. Shaheen testified during the trial that Czuba told her "you, as a Muslim, must die." Other recent incidents raising alarm in the U.S. about anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian prejudice include the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl and the stabbing of a Palestinian American man, both in Texas. Incidents raising alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes include an unsuccessful plot to attack a New York Jewish center and an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence. Hate incidents have also been reported during protests and counter-protests related to the war.
